


Takeoff

by Lapinporokoira



Category: SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron
Genre: Bullying, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-14
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-24 01:54:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7488780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lapinporokoira/pseuds/Lapinporokoira
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Every story has a beginning. This is just my interpretation of events that moulded the personalities of the Swat Kats.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Takeoff

**Chance Furlong: Aged 3**

He hadn't meant to break the plate. Honest. But mummy had been so mad. She hit Chance for the first time. He cried out in pain and surprise setting off his kitten sister in the other room. Daddy shouted for the brats to shut up and Mummy left him to cry as she went to help the baby before Daddy did something to make her stop crying.

 

**Jacob "Jake" Clawson: Aged 2 months old**

The Clawsons were having a dinner party. To celebrate Mr Clawson's promotion to vice President of the Purrfect Motors car company. Little Jacob cried in his crib hungry but his parents had guests to smooth talk. Besides letting a Kitten cry through was good for them. It built character.

 

**Chance Furlong: Aged 5**

Mummy and Daddy were busy today so Chance was in charge of his baby sister. Like her namesake, Lucky was luckily an easy kitten. She rarely had tantrums or cried. Most of the time she giggled or smiled. Grown Kats would melt at her smile. Chanced loved his little sister. Unlike his grumpy much older brother she loved being with Chance.  
He had only gone to get a drink of water before finding she had toddled after him and upon seeing him return she held out her arms. Chance smiled at his cheeky sister.

 

**Jacob "Jake" Clawson: Aged 2**

Mr and Mrs Clawson always knew their son was special but now it had been confirmed after they hired an behaviourist to assess their young son's intelligence. He had shown a level of problem solving skills that they always considered beyond a child of his age. And now they had evidence it changed everything of course. Jacob was going to get the best education money could buy.

 

**Chance Furlong: Aged 6**

His parents were fighting again. It seemed of late that they did nothing but fight. Chance wrapped his paws tighter around his little sister. Holding her close to him as their parents voices rose higher and higher. Chance winced when he heard a hand meeting flesh and his mother cry out.  
His Sister Lucky curled tighter against her big brother. Clinging desperately and whimpering in fear. instinctively Chance began to stroke her downy head and sing her favourite lullaby lowly into her flickering ear. It helped him as well to distract from what was now crying and a silent rage that seemed to seep through the very walls. Then father shouted. Calling their mother words Chance knew were very bad. Intended to hurt like needles under claws.  
Herman, Chances older brother slammed his door from the next room, stormed down the hallway and added his voice to the cacophony. It lasted a while until Chance heard Herman walk out again but instead of returning to his room, he heard his older brother stomp down the stairs before the front door opened and closed with a bang.  
The two younger siblings rode out the remaining storm.

 

**Jacob "Jake" Clawson: Aged 3**

Jake was frustrated, He poked his tongue out at his father and refused to play. Despite Mr Clawson urging his son, Jake simply would not budge on putting the block pieces together.

 

**Chance Furlong Aged 8**

Today was a good day. Father had been at work and Mother was singing a happy little tune in the kitchen. Chance looked over his homework whilst in the background the TV played an episode of The Witty Miss Kitty with Lucky singing along with the Persian heroine. It was Lucky's favourite show in the whole wide world.  
Before the show could end and as Chance worried over a particular math problem, their father came home from work. He didn't come in smiling and happy (he rarely did) nor did he come in angry and short tempered. Rather to everyone's surprise the man seemed melancholic stillness. He said not a word as he turned off the tv and walked past Chance. He said not a word as he put down his briefcase and sat at the kitchen table. He didn't even speak when Mrs Furlong placed a cup of coffee and a plate of tuna down for him.  
If fact he said nothing and reacted to no-one as he drank from his cup. He put the cup down and did not touch the food. Mrs Furlong worried, opened her mouth to speak which seemed the catalyst for his own mouth to open.

"I lost my job"

Chance knew today was no longer a good day.

 

**Jacob "Jake" Clawson Aged 6**

Boarding school was hard. The teachers gave out homework like candy. Bitter old people candy that was hard to chew. The other students picked on him. Jake cried in his bed. It wasn't his fault that he came from a very well off family or that he wasn't big and strong like most of other kits. He was special. Like his parents said. The fact he was skinny and wiry was less important then his mind. His mind, his parents told him, was a marvel. He should focus on that. But it didn't stop the hurt from the bruises on his arms or the twinge of pain in his split lip. They made him whine and curl up sadly in his bed. They would eventually fade but his mind, his nurtured mind, would remember them long after.

 

**Chance Furlong Aged 10**

It was Lucky's birthday tomorrow. She would be 7 tomorrow. 7 was a lucky number they said. Chance wished her Happy Birthday early because he was a nice brother. But Lucky said nothing. She didn't even hug her best brother in the whole world. She didn't ask what her presents were going to be. (Chance had got her a singing Miss Kitty Doll) She didn't even ask if she was getting a party for her birthday. Lucky Furlong said nothing. Not even when Chance told her to stop playing Hide and seek. The Coffin remained closed.  
Lucky had died drowning in the neighbours pool.

 

**Jacob "Jake" Clawson Aged 7**

Bingo! It was finished. Jake proudly held up his miniature jet eyeing his hard work at creating a working model. It looked like a proper Enforcer Jet. All he needed to do was wind it up and watch it buzz around in the air. Tentatively he wound the little key and placed it on the table. His golden eyes watched and he held his breath as it's little motor began to sputter. His teeth flashed in a grin as it juddered across the table and made lift off. Now he just needed to find some friends to praise his creation to make the day perfect.

 

**Chance Furlong Aged 11**

Herman left. His big brother never looked back as he left their home. He didn't even say goodbye to Chance. He definitely didn't say goodbye to the parents the teenager had grown to loathe.  
Chance was the only sibling left.

 

**Jacob "Jake" Clawson Aged 8**

His parents came to visit him at the boarding School. Jake showed them his homework. His plans and blueprints and showed off his Little Enforcer Jet #4 They nodded and smiled in all the right places and Jake so happy to see his family didn't notice at first as he gushed over all his stuff. But when he saw his father looking wistfully outside the window his enthusiasm faltered.  
His parents were there physically, but mentally they had better places to be. Jake frowned and shook his father's sleeve to regain his attention. His father once more smiled in that pleasant way but Jake saw the falseness for what it was. He felt tears pinprick his eyes but he refused to cry. He had enough of crying. So instead his sniffed it up and joined his parents in the fake smile game.

 

**Chance Furlong Aged 14**

He had gotten an apprenticeship with the local Garage. It didn't pay much but Chance would save up every penny to leave home himself.  
Father had grown worse and Mother had grown lost. Home was more a jail then an actual home.

 

**Jacob "Jake" Clawson Aged 11**

It was a big day at the Boarding School for Excellent TomKits as today was the day the Enforcers themselves made an appearance. Students of varying classes and skills and abilities couldn't wait to show off their talents in the hopes of garnering a promising future in law enforcement. Well most students anyway. Jake was happy to just take in the atmosphere and discuss engineering with his sometime friend Marley Fleabottom. A slightly younger kit not yet aware of the clique dynamics of the school and whom was marginally less liked then Jake himself.  
As Jake was discussing his latest idea for a non lethal rocket involving Ice Cream he didn't notice that two of the visiting Enforcers had taken an interest. It wasn't until later when his parents made a surprise visit that he found out they were interested in taking him on for their engineering division. Jake felt like he was on Cloud Nine.

 

**Chance Furlong: Aged 17**

Today was the day! Chance Furlong was leaving home and joining the Enforcers. His application had been accepted to start on the cadet programme and he was raring to go. His meager possessions were already packed. Some clothes, his small collection of Kat Kommandos comics, his old VHS tapes of Dogfights and aerial battles and one Singing Miss Kitty Doll amongst other items.  
As expected, his father was stoic and barely interested but at least the old man had come out to see him off. His mother kept her tears at bay but she smiled warmly at him despite it.  
Looking at them and seeing how old his Parents were and how much of them had diminished over the years almost gave Chance pause for thought. Almost. Despite the years of hardship and dealing with their fighting he stilled loved them, but not enough to stay

He had a new start in life now and he couldn't live in the past and in chains. He hugged them both. Dwarfing his mother and discovering with mild pride that he was taller then his father.  
The goodbyes were brief, and Chance set off as Cadet Furlong of the Enforcers.

 

**Jacob "Jake" Clawson Aged 15**

  
The Clawson's little genius was graduating early from boarding School. His mother creid genuine tears into her little Boy's furr. Telling him how proud she was of him. His father even seemed a little misty eyed. But his smile was never quite there. Yet Jake took the praise and then some. His parents rare showing of affection was a gift. Jake would take what he could. Hopefully now his graduation and immediate internship into Enforcers Engineering Corp would bring more of his parents warmth.  
To be honest though he was a little scared. The Boarding school had never been a friendly place to begin with. His sometime friend Marley had cottoned on and had turned from nice to his biggest bully. Blaming Jake for cheating him into a friendship. Yet that pettiness from his former friend and the others was a familiarity. Something he had learned from (and encouraged him to seek martial arts as an extra curricular activity) and now he had to start from scratch.  
His mother licked the top of his head affectionately breaking Jake from his self doubts. He smiled at her. He would do his best as his parents wanted despite his inner concerns.

 

**Enforcer hangerbay**

 If there was one thing Chance hated. It was bullies. And these guys were ruining his otherwise solid day and by the looks enjoying ruining the day of one of the Pit crew engineers. Chance had to admire the Engineer for dealing with the Bullies though. His resolute attempt to ignore them as they threw insults about his lowly status was quite an accomplishment. Chance silently applauded it. His own short temper would have flattened the bullies already.

Like all Bullies when the victim doesn't want to play back they changed tactic to get a response. One of them decide to get more physical. Jeered on by his mates he picked up a wrench and began poking the Engineer. Again he didn't react until the Flyboy poked him once more too hard causing the smaller Tom to snatch the offending tool and growled deep in his throat. The laughter stopped. The game was meant to have the lowly pit crew turn tail not fight back against their clear superiors.

Chance could see the turning tide of malicious pranks to something worse and as the Flyboy who had been poking went to grab the Engineer by the lapels, Chance stepped in. His looming presence was enough to send the group skulking away. Unfortunately the main guilty party merely flicked an ear disdainfully and went to grab the Engineer again. Before Chance could do anything more, the small bullied Tom grabbed the reaching paws and flicked his own wrists. The Bully went tumbling over his shoulder. Chance whistled in appreciation.

Stunned for a moment the Bully pulled himself back to his feet. Snarled with teeth bared at the both of them then sulked off to lick his wounds. Having his victim humilate him and backed up by one of the burliest Pilots was not something he wanted to pursue further.

It was an amusing sight to see him slink off, causing Chance to rumble a low laugh. He hated bullies but he took a certain joy out of seeing them face justice.  
Jake on the other hand found very little amusement in the situation. It was tiresome. Being a low run on a tall ladder meant this sort of pestering was par for the course. He had sort of hoped to have left that stuff behind back at boarding school. But it just wasn't meant to be. There would always be those willing to tread on those lower. And yet, he glanced at the larger Tom chortling beside him, not everyone was out for themselves. He lifted a lip and sniffed picking up the scent of wild winds and leather from his rescuer.

Chance caught the sound of a wrinkling nose and smiled larger. Sight might have been their species strong suit but smell meant a lot as well. He didn't take offence. Instead he let his easy grin fall over the shorter male and slapped him on the shoulder. It said something else for Jake that he withstood the strength behind it.

“Sweet move there kid. Didn't know they taught that in engineering.”

“They don't. ” Jake cringed. He didn't mean to sound short. He waited for the inevitable annoyed response but Chance just continued smiling.

“Well wherever you learned it they taught you good. I'm Chance by the way. Chance Furlong.”

Chance Furlong?! Now that was a name known about Enforcer headquarters. The Rookie with a pilot's gift. Jake stared up in awe.

“heh. If you open your mouth any wider a hairball will fall out.”

Jake snapped his jaw shut and blushed.

“Sorry. Not everyday you meet a big name.”

“Forget about it. I'm not all that bothered by getting a reputation. It's the flying itself that counts. That's my baby over there.”  
Chance pointed to a Lockheed Yf-12 that stood in all it's sleek black glory.

“I know her” Jake replied. “I recently upgraded the targeting system.”

Chance raised an eyebrow. “I thought you were an Engineer?”

“I am. But it doesn't hurt to know your way around the entire jet. I once created an schematic for a jet of my own design at school. “

“So you're an engineer and a genius? ”

Jake frowned. If he was the genius his parents wanted him to be maybe they could have loved him more.

“By the look on your face you like being called a genius as much as I like being looked at like some Pilot God. Which reminds me. You didn't tell me your name.”  
Jake blushed again in embarrassment.

“Ooops. I'm Jacob Clawson. But those I like can call me Jake. So you can call me Jake.” He smiled.  
Chance tried to hide his startle at the name Clawson. The name was connected to money and influence. The Clawsons had literal claws in influential places.

“Something wrong?” He hadn't hid his startle well, as Jake looked at him. The look was hesitant as if he was expecting Chance to pick up on the name. It was a look that Lucky had when their parents were about to start fighting again. Chance never liked seeing that look on his little sister and it looked just as wrong on the Kat in front of him so he changed the subject entirely.

“I was thinking. Your skill set is wasted in Engineering. How do you feel about flying?”

Talk about subject change and yet it felt right to Chance. More so when he saw fear and excitement in the other's face as his eyes widened. That was the look of advneture.

“I could put in a good word. Whisper to the right channels. That catlitter earlier isn't up to scratch anyway.”

He slung an arm round his smaller shoulders.

“I... I don't know. “

“Come on Kid, think of the possibilities. My co-pilot is retiring soon and I'll be needing someone to back me up when he does. And you seem like you got a good head on your shoulders.”

“Al.. al.. alright. Let's do it!”

“Good on ya kid. This is looking like the beginning of a beautiful friendship. “

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not happy with the Enforcer Headquarter section at all but I've messed with it enough that I don't want to make it worse


End file.
